Modelling and optimization of temperature in orthopaedic drilling: an in vitro study

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Orthopedic Surgery

Background:

• Bone drilling is essential in orthopedic surgery for screw fixation.
• Elevated temperatures during drilling can cause thermal osteonecrosis, impairing healing and fixation stability.
• Understanding and controlling drilling-induced heat is critical for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To model and optimize temperature generation during bone drilling.
• To identify key drilling parameters influencing bone temperature.
• To develop a predictive model for drilling-induced heat.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Taguchi's L27 experimental design on polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) as a bone substitute.
• Investigated the effects of drill diameter, feed rate, and cutting speed on temperature.
• Applied Signal-to-Noise (S/N) ratios for optimization and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for parameter significance.
• Developed a second-order model using Response Surface Methodology (RSM).

Main Results:

• Drill diameter was identified as the most significant parameter affecting drilling temperature.
• Cutting speed and feed rate also influenced temperature, but to a lesser extent.
• The developed RSM model accurately predicted experimental temperatures, showing good correlation.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully optimized bone drilling parameters to minimize temperature.
• Drill diameter is the primary factor to control for reducing heat during orthopedic drilling.
• The RSM model provides a reliable tool for predicting temperatures in orthopedic drilling procedures.